1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dishwasher, and more particularly, to a nozzle assembly of a dishwasher having top and bottom racks, employing a top nozzle having reversible nozzle pieces enabling the selective spraying of water toward the top or bottom rack according to a manual setting of the top nozzle by the user.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally speaking, a dishwasher is provided with a water circulation means actuated by a wash pump installed in a bottom compartment of the dishwasher. Thus, the washing of a number of items, such as tableware and the like, is performed by spraying washing water onto the items, which are placed on one or more racks to be washed, and the spaying action is achieved by at least one nozzle rotating under the force of the wash pump. That is, a dishwasher for the efficient washing of a large number of items simultaneously is typically provided with top and bottom racks and a nozzle assembly comprising top and bottom nozzles respectively dedicated for spraying water toward the corresponding rack. Each nozzle communicates with the water circulating means via one of two injection passages for simultaneously transmitting the water from the wash pump to a plurality of injection holes formed in the nozzles. Such a dishwasher is shown in FIG. 1, with a top nozzle of the nozzle assembly detailed in FIG. 2.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a dishwasher having a nozzle assembly according to a related art is comprised of a washtub 4 installed in a body 2 to have upper and lower spaces for washing items; top and bottom racks 8 and 9, slidably installed in the upper and lower spaces of the washtub, for holding a number of items to be washed; a top nozzle 12, rotatably installed under the top rack, for spraying water upward onto the top rack through a plurality of injection holes 12h provided on an upper surface; and a bottom nozzle 14, rotatably installed under the bottom rack, for spraying water upward onto the bottom rack through a plurality of injection holes 14h provided on an upper surface. The top and bottom nozzles 12 and 14 each communicate separately with the water circulating means via top and bottom injection passages 26 and 28, respectively.
The above-described dishwasher having a nozzle assembly according to the related art may be operated at capacity by placing a large number of items to be washed in both racks, but when operating the dishwasher at less then maximum capacity, the items to be washed may only fill one rack, for example, the bottom rack. Therefore, in using such a dishwasher at some capacity less than maximum, where items are placed in the bottom rack only, the simultaneous operation of both nozzles wastes water and energy, since the injection holes of the top nozzle are fixed to face the top rack and thus spray water onto an empty top rack.